With their victory in the 2022 North Atlantic Conference Championship and first-ever berth in the NCAA Tournament, the Delhi women's soccer program is poised for yet another promising season. Under the leadership of Coach Ward, who enters his third year in charge, the team is eager to build upon the remarkable success of the previous year and strives to journey back to the NCAA Tournament competition.

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In the 2022 season, the green and gold of SUNY Delhi left a lasting impression, closing the year with a remarkable run of seven straight victories, including their unforgettable 3-2 overtime victory in the NAC Championship. Their overall record stood at (9-7-4), with a commendable conference play performance of (5-3-2). Notably, the Broncos proved to be a formidable force on their home ground, defending it brilliantly in their debut year with an impressive (6-1-3) record while playing on Neil Riddell Field.

"We went into 2022 with a motto of "NAC or Bust". We said anything less than a conference championship would be a lost season. As we go into the 2023 season, we are reigning conference champions, so we achieved our goal from last year," said head coach Ward, "Now we look to stay atop the conference and continue the progress and trajectory of this program. Our motto for 2023 is "Build Our Legacy" with the idea that all future versions of Delhi women's soccer will look back to the 2023 team and see what it means to be a part of this program. Our values, our expectations, our vision. This fall should be another exciting year in women's soccer land."

The team's formidable returning unit, comprising five All-NAC selections, will be complemented by a talented group of ten newcomers eager to make an immediate impact on the field.

On the offensive front, the green and gold Broncos welcome back the dynamic duo of sophomore Shaniyah Myers and senior Olivia LeBrun, both instrumental to the team's offense in the previous year. Olivia LeBrun, who delivered the winning goal in last year's championship, showcased her skills with six goals and two assists, hitting her stride in the latter part of the season. Meanwhile, Shaniyah Myers, operating from the wing, is poised to elevate her performance further as she enters her second season, posing a significant threat to opponents.

"We only graduated four players from last year, so we have a lot of returning experience. We will be getting a few players back that missed time to injuries so that will be a nice breath of fresh air," said Ward, "I see each of our lines, (attack, midfield, defense), having a lot of options with returners and incoming players. We are really deep defensively, and I see us taking a big step forward and limiting the number of goals we conceded compared to last season."

The Delhi defensive unit will be guided by fifth-year senior Reanen Goodspeed and sophomore Kaitlyn Werthmuller. Goodspeed, a two-year captain, earned recognition as a Third Team All-NAC selection in the previous season. Her contribution was vital, being part of eight shutouts while starting all 20 games. On the other hand, Werthmuller, a formidable central defender, aims to further progress in her second year with the program, having impressively started in 17 games last season.

"We have an exciting group of players coming into the program for this fall. We've already discussed roles with the players and believe everyone is capable of coming in and making an immediate impact in the program. We graduated a lot of minutes on the field but see these incoming players hitting the ground running and getting after it right away."

For the third consecutive year, the Broncos will kick off their season on the road, commencing with a match against Geneva on September 1st, followed by a clash with Pitt-Bradford on September 2nd. Excitement fills the air as they return home to Neil Riddell Field for their season opener against Keystone on September 6th.

The conference action begins on September 16th when Delhi sets out on a journey to face SUNY Poly, followed by a thrilling, first NAC home match on September 23rd against SUNY Canton. Mark your calendars for another exciting encounter on October 11th as they host FDU-Florham, the reigning ECAC post-season champions.